Union claims TfL paid £240 to guide lone cyclist to Mall

Guides hired to escort cyclists to work during last week's London Underground strike were "largely idle" because so few people joined in the rides, a union claimed today.

The Transport Salaried Staffs Association said that at one Tube station - Brixton - three guides were paid £240 to escort one solitary cyclist three miles to The Mall in central London.

"This would be laughable if the situation for Londoners was not so serious," said TSSA leader Gerry Doherty.

At Clapham Common, four commuters on their bikes found themselves escorted by three guides and a Transport for London (TfL) traffic controller, whose job it was to ensure the roads were not blocked by the large numbers of people turning to their bikes.

Transport for London had urged commuters to find alternative forms of transport, including cycling, to avoid the disruption caused by the walkout, which hit services last Tuesday.

The union also claimed that the guides were warned not to criticise London Mayor Boris Johnson.